Description
Angelika and Bernd Kohlmeier (born 1962 in Munich and 1953 in Cuxhaven) founded “studio kohlmeier berlin” in 1985. From the very beginning they worked on a special photographic profile, using the reporting photography based on long term observation not only for classic subjects but also for architecture, urban construction and individual portraits. In addition, they continuously developed technical innovations which enabled unusual perspectives. Main projects:
1987–1988 Excavation photography in Syria for the German Archaeological Institute and the German Oriental Society; processing of the entire photographic material of the excavation campaign on behalf of the Museum of Prehistory and Early History (SMPK) Berlin.
1989–1995 Photographic reports for Wacker Chemie, Dorint-Hotel at Gendarmen Market, Jones Lang Wooton, AKA Brick Company, Federal Construction Society etc., documenting architectural change in Berlin after the fall of the Berlin wall and during the reconstruction of the German capital.
1996 Begin of 360°-(Panorama)-Photography, working in South Africa for Microsoft USA and Product Encarta USA, development of ‘encyclopaedic photography’ in connection with GPS location data.
1997 The photographers get an innovation loan from the German Reconstruction loan Corporation (KfW) to buy a special camera system for panoramic photography. In the same year they implement the idea of a virtual city walk through Berlin with 18 panoramic pictures in the internet – at this time the first of this kind nationwide.
1998 Planning and realisation of the interactive tour “City on the Water”. Several months of work in Senegal, Zimbabwe, Tanzania (Serengeti National Park) on behalf of Microsoft USA.
1999 Development of a concept for the 360° panorama from the dome of the Reichstag building; since then work commissioned by the German Bundestag.
2000 Development of 360° portrait photography for the serial “Committees of the German Bundestag”.
2001 they obtain a commission for architectural photography by the Berlin branch of the KfW Banking Group and produce portraits of several client companies. In the same year the art commission of the KfW Banking Group buys their conceptional photo art work “10 squared”.
2002–2006 Reports commissioned by the Ministry of Finance, Partner of Berlin, and the Martha Foundation Hamburg. Several orders by Members of Parliament and Parties of the German Bundestag.
2007 Photographic coverage of all Parliamentary Speakers attending the G8-summit in Berlin. Berlin themes for the permanent exhibition in the “Berlin Room” at NATO Headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, commissioned by the Federal Chancellor’s Office. Stay in Frutillar, Chile: photo exhibition “Visitors and Inhabitants”.
2008 Documentation of the joint meeting of the German and French Speakers of Parliament in Dresden. Extension of the camera system enabling the production of panoramic photos in medium format. 360° panorama from the Berlin TV tower.
2009 “Politics Unmasked”: Angelika and Bernd Kohlmeier accompany 16 Members of Parliament during work in their districts. They take analogue pictures with two cameras. None of the pictures is posed. Since its debut in the Art-Room of the German Bundestag, the pictures are shown by the Art Division of the German Bundestag on a travelling exhibition.
2011 “We Are All One“ (portrait series):
